JIMMY OLIVER

JIMMY OLIVER has been appointed by Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner to be the Syracuse Police Department’s first director of community engagement. Oliver, who has been deputy commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs since June 2018, will join the department in a civilian role responsible for developing, coordinating, and implementing community engagement programming. In his new role, he is charged with helping the department to build community trust and with creating avenues to listen and respond to neighborhood needs. Oliver will focus on improving the department’s relationship with the Syracuse community, particularly with minority and underserved communities, advocacy groups and other key stakeholders. Among his specific assignments will be creating a nationally-affiliated Syracuse Police Department Police Athletic League (PAL), a program dedicated to preventing juvenile crime and violence by providing mentorship, community service, athletic, recreational, enrichment, and educational opportunities. Oliver will coordinate Chief Buckner’s District Advisory Group activities and will manage the work of the City of Syracuse-Onondaga County Coalition to Reduce Gun Violence. He will report to Chief Buckner. Oliver attended Cazenovia College and Le Moyne College. He worked at the Boys & Girls Club of Syracuse from 2002 to 2012 and held senior positions at the Boys & Girls Clubs in Greater Lynchburg and Metro Richmond and served as senior recreation specialist for the Lynchburg Parks and Recreation Department from 2016 to 2017.